About the Author:
Dr Sachin Bhosle, Orthopedic Surgeon, Fortis Hospital, Mulund
Since we know Arthritis is mainly of the joints that are getting affected, there is a higher chance of pregnant women to be affected by it due to the increase of weight, pain and discomfort.
Women who are expecting mainly notice such pain in their knees, coupled with spasms in the spine and lower backs. There are many different types of Arthritis; to simplify let’s divide those into three common types.
1. Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis is commonly known as “SANDHIWAT”. Typically, there is multiple joint pain and morning stiffness; this condition can happen at any age. Timely medical treatment cures this type of Arthritis.
These medications may be required for many years. Often you see people suffering because they discontinued the medicines, Arthritis eventually comes back and surgeries are then required. This tells us that someone with Rheumatoid Arthritis needs to seek help, and seek timely treatment.
2. Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is age and activity related wear & tear. Most commonly it sets in after the age of 50. Mechanical wear and tear in the knees, which are weight bearing joints tend to be affected first.
This arthritis progresses to a severe state in some people, who need to undergo a surgery like knee replacement, which would restore normal function.
However if one takes care of themselves from young days, they can avoid early onset of severe Osteoarthritis. Weight control and regular exercises is all that is required. This tells us that one can avoid Osteoarthritis by regular exercises and weight control.
3. Gout
Gout is the third type. This is a very unique type of Arthritis suffered by those who have excessive meat and alcohol intake. This leads to production of excessive Uric Acid in body which then damage joints and the heart.
Kidney diseases and some medical conditions are also responsible for Gout because Uric Acid is cleared out of our body by the Kidneys. This tells us that timely dietary correction and medical treatment will cure Uric Acid triggered Arthritis.
Since last year, we have been experiencing COVID 19 and our country is in a lockdown state since last few months. Lifestyle has changed for everyone by this virus.
Some people have seen reduction of stress of day to day life, they have started exercising and having healthy homemade food. Their joint pains have gone away.
They have lost weight and are feeling much healthier; they are the happy lot. But there are few others who are not doing so well because of being forced to do the entire housework themselves and being unable to go out, they have started experiencing back pain and knee pain they didn’t have before.
We all need to learn to share the house work, enjoy homemade food and make use of this time to improve your body by exercising as well as stress busting.
In the last five years, the knee replacement technology as well as techniques have improved by leaps and bounds. Anatomically designed ceramic coated knees tend to function flawlessly for many years, allowing the patients to do almost anything they want to do.
Computers help us plan the surgery flawlessly. Surgery is performed in such a clean, tissue friendly and swift manner that there is not much blood loss, little pain, recovery is fast and the patient goes home in a couple of days and back to usual business in a month or so.
COVID 19 pandemic has taught us the lesson and we have now evolved and notched up our techniques in such a way that patients can undergo surgery safely to enjoy freedom from pain. We all need to remember to seek early advice, to not end up suffering.
